Anyone grafted yet?

[jezd]

Come on, someone must have done lol - didnt someone say they have drones already in numbers?

Dont be shy!

JD

PS its freezing today

 

[victor meldrew]

Come on, someone must have done lol - didnt someone say they have drones already in numbers?

Dont be shy!

JD

PS its freezing today

Aye Roger white Has

JW

 

[BKF Admin]

Another 2 weeks yet for me..
Mr Meldrew your a naughty boy

 

[Tim1606]

First week of May for me. Thats when i will have the time.

 

[jezd]

Aye Roger white Has

JW

I knew it lol, contrats to him, March grafting

wow - I did spend time today clean mini nucs that is as far as I have got!

hmmm reading that, I cant be sure you are serious now hehe

 

[Hombre]

Are drones generally available in good numbers from the beginning of May in the Midlands?

Memory cell failure or eyes closed for the last two years. LoL

 

[keith pierce]

generally end of the first week in may for me. strongest of my hives are on a average 4 full double side frames of brood

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I grafted on Sunday. One large colony had gone queenless - no queencells just polished cells - so I grasped the opportunity and popped some grafts in. Looks like most have taken.
There are some drones about so the queens have a reasonable chance of mating - subject to the weather.

 

[BobsBees]

Yes I have.
Three batches of 10 over the past two weeks. Mostly cells are cleaned out but I have 2 capped queen cells so far.
Grafted another 20 today, plenty of drones in all my hives.
Hives are getting heavy with capped brood, easy to find very young larvae, temperature is good in the garage also, so no problem with chilling.
Bob.

 

[jameskilty]

Yes - 5 lots of grafts every 2 days. Nice sealed cells ready to put into nucs tomorrow. Bigger batch today in the hive now split so it is queenless (previously above QX). Now using 2x20 cell cups. Started when adult drones available. Carrying cells in a cool box with warm wet towel to starter/finisher 3 miles away. It works! Hope tomorrow is warm again.

 

[BKF Admin]

Yes I have.
Three batches of 10 over the past two weeks. Mostly cells are cleaned out but I have 2 capped queen cells so far.
Grafted another 20 today, plenty of drones in all my hives.
Hives are getting heavy with capped brood, easy to find very young larvae, temperature is good in the garage also, so no problem with chilling.
Bob.

I have found in the past that my first grafts are around 15% of cells grafted middle of April but the % of accepted cells rises fast as the weeks go on.

Anyone else find the same?

 

[BobsBees]

1 Queen Hatched

Ok to follow up on my last post.
I said queen was due to hatch today (wednesday)
And true to form she was, in the cage with lots of attention by nurse bees feeding her.
So tomorrow seal her in the cage with fondant in the entrance/exit hole, and place her into a nice clean dry Nuc.
Containing :-
Capped brood on 1 frame.
Another frame with some young larvae, not too many eggs.
Add 2 frames of stores, ie pollen,capped honey,
A Frame feeder containing strong Sugar Syrup.
Leave alone for at least 17 days, (the shortest time I have recorded for a mated laying queen) so on 30th April 2011.
If all this takes place, it will be my fastest queen breeding effort so far.
I will let you know....
ps I grafted at the week-end 20 JZBZ cups, on looking today 7 were in the process of cells being extended up to half way.
Bob. quite pleased with myself at the moment. and today is the 13th.

 

[Hombre]

Yes - 5 lots of grafts every 2 days. Nice sealed cells ready to put into nucs tomorrow. Bigger batch today in the hive now split so it is queenless (previously above QX). Now using 2x20 cell cups. Started when adult drones available. Carrying cells in a cool box with warm wet towel to starter/finisher 3 miles away. It works! Hope tomorrow is warm again.

Bob Hope I'm afraid James. Cold as a witches bit here Wednesday. Even the dandelions decided it was too cold to come out.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Another 20 grafts done yesterday,checked today, and all twenty took.

 

[Bcrazy]

Another 20 grafts done yesterday,checked today, and all twenty took.

Who's a clever boy then?
Today i grafted 18 because of need as Hive 1 is qless with no eggs in the brood box or super. See Honey bee Health topics under Varroa and that should explain it. I will have a peek tomorrow to see how many have taken. I would be happy with 15 but don't think i will get 100%.

Mo

 

[Tim1606]

Grafted 18 yesterday and 16 have taken when checked this morning

 

[Hivemaker.]

Another 20 grafts done yesterday,checked today, and all twenty took.

Checked nine of the first twenty today,all mated and laying,expect the others are as well, as they are in an even better location. Seventeen more placed out two days ago, and another 38 from the new breeder queen due to emerge next monday.

 

[Crg]

Another 20 grafts done yesterday,checked today, and all twenty took.

That's a decent percentage, do you normally get about that?

I use the cupkit rather than grafting, and so far this year it's been:
27/30
28/30
27/30

 

[Hivemaker.]

Average around 18 out of twenty Crg.

 

[ebee]

Checked nine of the first twenty today,all mated and laying,expect the others are as well, as they are in an even better location. Seventeen more placed out two days ago, and another 38 from the new breeder queen due to emerge next monday.

With all these queens emerging, Hivemaker, do you use mini nucs or standard frame nucs? Also do you introduce queen cells or virgins?